Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Carroll (conductor/cello)

Mozart and Haydn can sometimes sound a little staid in the concert hall, but this performance brought real blood, vigour and freshness to the pieces. Mozart’s Symphony No.29 sounded elegant, yet effervescent and I couldn’t wrest my attention from the bristling energy of the first violins. Haydn’s Cello Concerto No.1 was bewitching and lustily played across the board, while Thomas Carroll’s cello work was superb, with a fun sense of fidgety excitability about him. Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony was punchy and sounded wonderfully expansive: a beautiful widescreen rendition to round off a stunning afternoon.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 5 February 2017

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